Development of Cu-ZnO ZrO2 based polyacrylonitrile polymer composites for removing pharmaceutical pollutants and heavy metals from wastewater

Abstract

A new poly acrylonitrile polymer composite incorporating Cu-ZnO/ZrO₂ was created and tested for its capacity to remove heavy metalsPb(II), Cd(II) and pharmaceutical pollutants (sulfamethoxazole and ibuprofen) from water using a combined approach of photocatalytic degradation and adsorption. The composite was fabricated by embedding copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) within a ZnO/ZrO₂nanocomposite structure, supported by poly acrylonitrilepolymer. Material characterization was performed using FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, BET, and UV-Vis DRS techniques, showing a notable specific surface area of synthesized composite about 156 m²/g, pore size of 18.4 nm, and evenly dispersed nanoparticles measuring 20 to 30 nm on average. Under visible light exposure, the composite demonstrated photo-oxidation efficiencies of 85% for Pb(II) and 80% for Cd(II) within 120 min, with starting concentrations of 50 mg/L. For pharmaceutical contaminants, degradation rates reached 88% for ibuprofen and 90% for sulfamethoxazole under similar conditions. Adsorption isotherms followed the Langmuir model, with maximum adsorption capacities of 36.0 mg/g for both Pb(II) and Cd(II). Pharmaceutical pollutants showed lower adsorption capacities, with q_max values of 30.0 mg/g for sulfamethoxazole and 28.0 mg/g for ibuprofen. Kinetic studies indicated that the degradation process followed a pseudo-second-order model (R² > 0.98), and the composite retained 85% of its photocatalytic activity after five reuse cycles. These results highlight the prepared compositehas high efficiency and sustainability in eliminating both heavy metals and organic pollutants from aqueous environments.